Post by : Mariam
Al-Faris
The Central government on Sunday strongly dismissed allegations that a newly approved definition of the Aravalli hills would allow large-scale mining. The government said that more than 90 per cent of the Aravalli Hills will continue to remain protected and that there has been no relaxation in mining rules. Officials clarified that the revised definition is meant to strengthen environmental protection, not weaken it.
Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav responded to criticism from the Congress and other groups, saying the claims were based on misinformation. He stated that people are spreading confusion about the changes and stressed that the framework approved by the Supreme Court actually improves protection for the fragile mountain range.
The revised definition, approved last month, states that landforms rising 100 metres or more above the surrounding area, along with their slopes and nearby regions, will be considered part of the Aravalli range. According to the government, this does not mean that areas below 100 metres are open for mining. Entire hill systems, including the lower areas enclosed within natural boundaries, will remain protected.
Congress leader Jairam Ramesh criticised the decision, claiming that nearly 90 per cent of the Aravallis would lose protection under the new definition. Rejecting this, the government said that mining eligibility would apply to only 0.19 per cent of the total Aravalli area, which spans about 1.44 lakh square kilometres. The remaining land will stay preserved under strict environmental norms.
Minister Yadav further explained that areas lying within 500 metres between two hills will be treated as part of the same hill range and protected accordingly. He said the confusion that mining can take place freely below the 100-metre level is incorrect, as even the bottom areas of hill systems are included in protection measures.
According to reports, the Supreme Court asked for a standard definition because different states were following different rules while granting mining permissions. A government panel found that Rajasthan was the only state with a clear definition in place since 2006, which bans mining within the lowest contour of a hill regardless of height differences.
Representatives from Rajasthan, Haryana, Gujarat and Delhi agreed to adopt this model with added safeguards. These include mandatory mapping by the Survey of India, treating nearby hills as a single range, and marking core no-mining zones. The court has also ordered a freeze on new mining leases until a sustainable mining plan is prepared, while existing mines can operate only under strict rules. Mining remains completely banned in protected and eco-sensitive areas, except in rare cases of national importance.
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